Ay Nicaragua, Nicaraguita!

I've been in Nica for six days and it already feels like a great adventure; its hard to choose what to write about...the first night I arrived, Brad took me to see Carlos Mejia Godoy, a Nicaragian musical legend. While I understod next to nothing during the performance, I got a glimpse of the passion Nicarguan's have for their country and shared history. The audience sang along with Carlos for the entire two hour performance. It was an incredible experience and appropriate introduction to Nicaragua. According to Brad, the concert is a rite of passage. Despite my fatigue from travelling, we stayed until the end to hear "Nicaragua, Nicaraguita."

"Ay Nicaragua, Nicaraguita,
la flor mas linda de mi querer,
abonada con la bendita,
Nicaraguita, sangre de Diriangén.

Ay Nicaragua sos mas dulcita,
que la mielita de Tamagas,
pero ahora que ya sos libre,
Nicaraguita, yo te quiero mucho mas.
pero ahora que ya sos libre,
Nicaraguita, yo te quiero mucho mas."

A beautiful song...but, I have been overwhelmed by Nicaragua so far. There is a lot to take in: new smells, sounds, colors, people. My ear is starting to get accustomed to Spanish, but it is difficult not being able to communicate directly with the people we encounter. Perfect motivation for one of my goals: to become proficient in Spanish.

San Ramon is a unique place. It reminds me a lot of Sitka because it is surrounded by beautiful, lush-green mountains. It has rained alomost everyday, which provides a nice break from the heat. The house is really neat because everything is open. We have a courtyard/ garden inside the house, so even when we are "inside" it feels like we are outside. Everytime of day has its own sounds. The roof is made of corrogated metal, so when it rains it kind of feels like you are in a big tent (which I love). All these sounds and sensations put me at ease because they remind me of being at camp, and of camping with my dad and brother. Some of my happiest memories of childhood.

Odds and ends: so far I've seen an armadillo, a very large lizard, lots of chickens, barking geckos, lots of cows and horses, and some neighborhood semi-domesticated parrots. We do not have gas or a refrigerator in the house yet, so we've been eating at the local comedors. This has been one of my favorite experiences because they are run by neighborhood moms who cook up meals for those who stop in. They love to chat and have been very welcoming. They lovingly reassure me that they will help me learn Spanish and that we are welcome in San Ramon.